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Cornillon
Cornillon (Kreole: Kòniyon) is a commune in the Croix-des-Bouquets Arrondissement, in the Ouest department of Haiti. It has 54,254 inhabitants , OU, Haiti]] Overview There are many things and factors that contribute to the current condition in Cornillon, a small town in the Arrondissement of Croix-des-Bouquets. It is not a super rich town but its people still have a decent source of livelihood. Situated in a mountainous region of the southern eastern part of the country, Cornillon has more than 48,900 inhabitants. The town comprises five sections and witnesses tropical wet and dry weathers. Environment The town has experienced widespread deforestation. This is because settlements were needed. Deforestation was also done in order to give way for more charcoal production. Such production is one of the main sources of income in the town because the demand for coal is high across the country. Because charcoal is the primary source of fuel in Haiti, charcoal product has become one of the highest income-generating livelihoods, especially in Cornillon. However, people do not only rely on charcoal production to make ends meet. They also produce fruits and coffee. Without agricultural and charcoal productions, residents will probably find it more difficult to get by as the town is not as wealthy as the other cities in the country. Infrastructure With regards to road construction, Cornillon has many dirt roads. Loose gravel was used in some roads to pave them but the roads are generally underdeveloped. Agriculture On a recent visit to Cornillon, a town in the west department county of Croix-des-Bouquets, the Haitian head of state, President Michel Martelly made gifts to the long-standing town. On the occasion of their 125th anniversary, the residents of Cornillon were treated to a distribution of agricultural equipment from their president, one of whose mandates is the advancement of the Haitian agricultural sector. The tools were given to local farmers who make their living farming cash crops such as coffee and fruit. As such, his stated intent was to assist them in making more bountiful harvests. However, as it stands, even with these new tools, farmers in the community of Cornillon still find it hard to eke out subsistence because of other, chronic problems plaguing the area. Lionel Ducasse, mayor of the town, and his Deputy, Lamarre Baptiste took the opportunity of having the president's attention to lay before him the true needs of their town. A lack of health facilities and opportunities for university study--addressed by the offering of three university scholarships to resident students, are outstripped by the community's lack of proper roads. Bigger than an inconvenient ride, the state of the roads leading to Cornillon make it a semi-remote location and hinders the trade needed for the livelihood of their farmers. As explained by Ducasse, because their roads are so hard to traverse, their trade prospects are limited to what they can barter with those from the Dominican Republic, who, they state, don't always trade for a fair price. It was asked of the president to add to his Cornillon agricultural endowment, 52 km of road to connect Cornillon with the rest of Haiti.